Nowhere to Run Ch. 02

The blond slammed the bottle on the tabletop once he'd emptied it. The water spray behind Joshua stopped.

"Wanna beer, kid?" he asked with an alluring grin, stood and went to an old fridge nearby. Opening the larger, bottom door, he retrieved two bottles and returned to the table. He opened both with a twist, then approached Joshua with a glimmer of lust in his stare.

"You don't have to be afraid of me. I won't hurt you...not really. But the others might wanna have some brutal fun with ya," he gave a slight snicker then put the bottle to Josh's lips. "Drink up, now," he commented as he turned the bottle up slightly, filling Joshua's mouth with the full flavor of an imported dark beer.

He had three choices, either spit it back at the man, swallow, or choke on it. Choosing to swallow, he thought it better for his situation than to spit it at the man and gain his unwanted attention, or choking on it.

"That's a good boy," the man smiled almost tenderly at Josh and placed a hand at the back of his captive's head, which he used to pet Josh with. "Drink it all," he said as he turned the bottle up further, which forced Josh to have to swallow furiously. "Can't have you wasting it...that's alcohol abuse, kid," he teased.

"You gave a good fight, baby. I was rather surprised with ya." The man winked, then leaned closer. "I love a good fight," he whispered directly into Josh's ear. "Ya hungry?" he asked almost in the same breath.

Joshua nodded as best he could and decided to pick his battles rather than be obnoxious and earn something he didn't want. He wasn't up for a beating or unwanted pleasures either, but he was hungry.

The blond grinned, "Name's Casey, kid." He moved to the far side of the fridge and lifted a lid off a large pot on a hotplate that Josh hadn't seen until then.

Meanwhile, the brute that had hosed him down cut his hands free. With a cruel grip, he took hold of Joshua's arm and dragged him to the small table not far from the vile faucet from which the offensive hose was attached and sat him down rather roughly. With the blade of the knife under the chin, he lifted Josh's head until their eyes met.

"C'me on, Stan. Let the kid alone, will ya?" the blond rebutted. "He's being compliant. Can't you see that?"

Casey brought the large bowl of stew to the table and set it down before Josh. He then sat across from the boy in the only other chair provided there.

"Eat up, baby," the man waved a hand at Josh with a small smile.

"I'm goin upstairs, you guys. I think I've had enough of the stench in this room, for now," one of the others stood and started up the steps. The other two joined him, leaving Casey and Josh alone.

Josh hadn't noticed a stench in the room. He breathed in long and silently to be sure he hadn't missed anything, then decided the man was talking about him. And it didn't matter to him at all. None of the fellows that had raped and kidnapped him had a pleasant aroma either. Even Casey had a sort of rude odor, as far as Josh was concerned. His only reason for being so compliant was for a hot meal and trying not to be brutalized more than he already had.

Scooping up some of the stew with the spoon provided, Josh shoveled it into his mouth. It was too hot and scalded him right away, so that he spit it out as quick as he had taken it in.

"Aww..." the man grimaced. "I shoulda put some ice in that for ya," he said as he stood and went back to the fridge.

While the man was busy getting some ice, Josh wished he at least had a glass of water to cool his scalded tongue with.

"Can I have some water?" he asked meekly.

Casey turned abruptly at hearing Josh's voice the first time since he had been awake. It was mild and demure—a marked difference from the yells and screams that had issued from the boy the night before. Quite frankly, Casey found Josh's voice to be kind of erotic and inviting.

"Sure, baby, but would you rather have a beer instead?" he smiled gently at Josh as he asked.

Josh shrugged, "I guess so."

The man replaced the old metal ice tray into the freezer, opened the other door and grabbed another beer. On his way, he stopped by the larger table, got his beer and ambled to the smaller where Josh sat. He dumped a couple large pieces of ice into the bowl and set the two beers down as he sat.

"There, stir that up until the ice melts. It'll cool it down so you can eat it."

Joshua looked up at the man with curiosity, then did as Casey had said. He also lifted the bottle to his lips and took a long drink, realizing how much he had wanted it rather than water.

Soon, the ice had melted and Josh took another try at the stew. It was still warm. He shoved it into his mouth and savored the taste of something he'd not remembered ever eating. It was familiar, but he couldn't recall how or when.

"I can tell you like it by your expression, kid. I made it. Just for you. Want some crackers with it? Bread?" Casey asked.

Josh shrugged again. His attention was on the stew he was devouring at a face pace.

"You should slow down or you'll get a tummy ache, kid," Casey said as he stood and went back to the counter by the fridge. He reached up to a cabinet door, which he opened and retrieved a pack of saltines from a box.

"Can I have some more?" Josh asked before the man could return.

Casey laughed lightly. "Sure, kid. But you'll have to earn the next bowl, ok?"

The alluring grin made Josh a bit nervous as Casey returned to the table with the crackers. He shifted in his chair as the man sat across from him.

"What's your name, kid?" Casey asked first.

"Joshua," he answered demurely. "Most people just call me Josh."

"Ok, Josh." Casey sat back in his chair with an expression of triumph. "How old are ya?"

"Eighteen."

"Any brothers or sister?"

"I don't know."

"What do ya mean you don't know? Of course you know!" Casey laughed.

"You don't understand. I don't remember," Josh explained.

"Huh?" Casey sat up so fast, Josh swore the man would strike him and ducked accordingly.

He eyed Josh curiously for the action. "Someone's been fairly mean to you, haven't they?"

"That's just it, Casey, I don't remember anything at all. No mom. No dad. No nothing. I'm barely sure my name is Joshua." He eyed the crackers as his tummy rumbled, still hungry.

Casey grimaced at the sound. He reached across the table to the bowl and went back to fill it again. This time, he put the ice in it before he returned to the table and set the bowl before Josh.

"Thanks," Josh murmured as he picked up the spoon and began stirring the mixture of beef chunks, veggies and gravy.

"You're welcome, but you still have to pay me back for it, Josh," Casey grinned lewdly.

Josh stared at the man for a long moment. Then with a nod, scooped up some of the stew and ate.

"I think you're on the run, kid. From what, I don't know, but I wager we'll possibly find out soon."

Josh shrugged again, though he didn't look up from the bowl of stew. He heard Casey's voice, but didn't hear the question itself. His attention so given to the food he ate, he had tuned the man out. Abruptly, the bowl was slid from him, in which Josh looked up with a bereft expression.

"I asked you a question, Josh," Casey stated with a warning tone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear it," he gave the man his best puppy eyes and begged silently for mercy.

Casey smiled. "Do you like sex?"

The spoon in Josh's hand started quivering. It extended down his arm until the boy was trembling all over. His expression turned vacant as he stared at Casey. Then as quick as the aspect splashed across Joshua's face, it was gone.

"Wanna try me?" Casey warned.

"No," Josh dragged out in an airy answer.

"What's wrong with you, kid?"

"I don't feel so good," Josh answered with the same airy voice.

"I told you to slow down." Casey stood with the bowl and took it to the counter where he put it and returned to the table. "If you want more, later, I'll let you have some. But I want some ass, Joshua," Casey admitted.

"Please, don't," Josh begged, on the verge of panic.

"C'me on, baby. It's not that bad...and I'm not gonna hurt ya." Casey reached down and took Josh's arm.

"Please," Josh looked up at the man with pleading.

"It'll be ok." Casey urged the boy to stand and led him to the bed across the room.

He urged Josh back onto the plain white sheets and came up over his thin frame.

"Just give me a kiss, Josh," he almost whispered the sound of lust in his voice.

"No, Casey, please," Josh returned, his voice quivering.

"Don't ever tell me 'no', Joshua. This isn't a democracy. Either you give me what I want, or I'll take it—like before."

Tears welled in his eyes and his throat constricted to the point he could scarcely breathe. He tried to choke back the sob that issued from him abruptly, but he wasn't quick enough.

Casey's face moved closer, ignoring Joshua's fears.

"It's just a kiss, baby," Casey pressed.

Joshua regressed into hiding and Casey stared into the vacant expression he'd seen earlier. The tears stopped and the boy only gazed up at him blankly with eyes that had turned glassy. Ignoring the sudden change, for his pulsing desire, he leaned further and brushed his lips to Joshua's.

To his surprise, the boy opened and Casey invaded Josh's mouth with his tongue. Their lips sealed, exploding in intertwined lust and need as arms went around the other—the kiss became almost feral. Josh lifted his knees and pressed his pelvis to the man wantonly. Casey moaned at the responses of his body and Joshua's primal desire.

Joshua's hands moved up under Casey's shirt, plundering at will. He grounded his pelvis against the man continuously and drove the man to frenzy.

"Fuck me, Casey," he almost growled when Casey came up for air.

Casey noted the airy content of Josh's voice and the marked difference in the tone, but ignored it for his own greedy desire. He reached between them, unzipped his jeans, pulled out his member and pushed into the boy's body smoothly. Josh sighed long, his head drifted back into the pillow as the man penetrated him with ease.

Casey, became a bit confused by the change of attitude, but banged into Josh all the same. The power of his thrusts rocked Josh upward and he felt something give way.

"No, Joshua, I said I wouldn't hurt you, and I meant that..." Casey detached from the boy and sat on the side of the bed. "What's with you, bitch? You're a player ain't ya?"

He smelled blood and looked down between Joshua's thighs and saw it oozing on the sheet.

"Gees, now look what you made me do!" Casey got up and ambled across the room, where he wet a washcloth and returned with it.

"I didn't mean to," Josh said in his normal voice.

Casey studied the boy for a moment and saw the difference right away.

"There's something weird about you, kid," he stated then reached between the boy's thighs, forcing the damp cloth between the cheeks.

"Why you say that?"

Casey looked up at Josh to see a hurt expression.

"Well..." he searched the right words to explain himself. "One minute your all scared and crying, the next your like, 'fuck me, Casey', and 'fuck me harder damn it'. It's really confusing. And the look on your face changes too. It's like...empty...and your eyes are like...glass. Do you even know what just happened?"

Joshua gazed up at Casey blankly, "No, I don't." he looked away as a tear slipped from his eye.

"I think there's more than one in there, beside you." Casey got up and went back to the faucet, turned it on and rinsed the cloth, wrung it and returned with it. "Damn it, Josh, I really didn't wanna to hurt you."

"One what?" Josh followed the man's movements with his eyes.

"People, Josh. Personalities. Ever heard of Sybil?"

"Sybil who?"

Casey shook his head and half laughed. "You're a real piece of work, Josh."